likins



No. 608,880. Patented Aug. 9, I898. W. H. LIKINS. SEPABATOR AND PUBIFIER.

(Application filed Aug. 25, 1897.) (No Model.) I

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llniifrnn Starts PATENT @rrrera \VILLIAM ll. LIKINS, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LOUIS BLESSING, OF SAME PLACE.

SEPARATOR AND PURIFIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Extent No. 608,880, dated August 9, 1898.

Application filed August 25,1897. Serial No.649 l32. (Nomodeh) T0 ctZl whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. LIKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at J ackson, in the county'of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Separators and Purifiers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to that class of separating devices wherein the material to be operated upon is fed in a constant stream into the path of an endless aincurrentcreated within the casing and forming the means of separating the dust and other light particles in separate compartments provided therefor; and my invention consists in an improved construction with the special object in View to make the device simple and compact and efficient under all conditions of work and relating particularly to the arrangement and the finest to the coarsest without changing the speed of the machine, all as more fully hereinafter described, and shown in the drawings, in which Figure. l is an elevation of my improved purifier and separator. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section thereof. Fig. 3 is a horizon tal section on line as 00, Fig. 2.

The device is inclosed in an outer metallic cylindrical casing A, provided With'aconical hopper-shaped bottom extension B, which terminates in a discharge-spout 0. Around the base of the casing A is an annular supporting fiange D, forming the top of a supporting-frame E. The top of the casing A is closedby a tight cover F, which supports in suitable bearings a vertical fan-shaft G and its drive connection for rotating the same by applying power through the pulley II. The fan-shaft is located in the axis of the casing and carries at its lower end the spreaderdisk I, which is provided with a peripheral sheet-metal skirt,which flares outwardly at its lower edge. Centrally above the spreader disk is located the discharge end of the feedspout K, which concentrically surrounds the fan-shaft and enlarges upwardly into a receiving-hoppcr secured to the under side of the cover and communicating through an opening in the same for supplying the mate rial into the feed-spout which thence discharges it in a thin stream over the edge of the saucer L, which partially closes the discharge end of the feed-spout.

The upper end of the casing A is divided oif by a horizontal partition M and constitutes the casing for a fan N, carried by the shaft G. The arms a, to which the fanblades are secured, pass through the walls of the feed-spout, the sections 0 of which is made movable to permit the fan to revolve.

The revolving fan is surrounded by an annular wind-chamber a, forked between the casing A and the fan by means of an annular series of segmental wing-valves (l, which at one end are pivotally secured and at the opposite end are adj ustably secured by setscrews e or otherwise, to be opened outwardly more or less. These valves form a plurality of discharge-openings for the fan into the surrounding wind-chamber o and through the annular openings f, formed in the partition M, into the annular chamber g, formed below the Wind-chamber by means of a partition 0, concentrically secured within the casing A and carrying at its lower edge an outwardlyi'nclined deflecting-flange O, which forms between it and the casing A a discharge-throat h.

The separating-chamber g communicates through the throat h at its bottom with another separating-chamber 1', formed below between the hopper-shaped extension of the casing and the receiver P, which forms a corresponding extension of the partition 0, except that the two leave an opening 'mbetween them.

The receiver P is supported vertically adjustably upon a lever Q and has guide-pins j, secured to its upper edge, which engage in guide-bearings 7o on the partition 0, all so ar ranged that by means of lever Q the receiver P may be adjusted up or down and thereby decrease or increase the size of the opening on at will.

At the lower edge of the partition 0 is so cured another deflecting-flange 0 which inclines inwardly over the opening m below the flange J, with which it cooperates in spreading the material.

Between the partition 0 and the spreaderner that it divides the space into two vertical annular flues 0 p, and extending upwardly and inwardly to the partition M forms ahood over the spreader-disk and forms the upward continuation 0 of the flue 0, which communicates through the annular opening 0 in the partition M with the fan-case, directly in the rear of the fan-blades, a deflecting-flange 0 being preferably placed between it and the eye of the fan.

The receiver P has a bottom dischargespout 1", which loosely joins with the fixed elbow 1", through which the purified material is discharged to the outside.

Having described the construction and arrangement of the different parts, I will briefly describe the operation of the device.

If the fan is set in motion, it will be seen that the air-current which it creates will pass with a whirling motion from the fan-casing through the annular opening f into the separating-chamber g, and by the combined centrifugal action, as well as by reason of the expansion of the current in entering the larger chamber g, all solid particles of greater specific gravity than the air will part company with the air-current and following the law of gravity drop through the throat 71/111130 the chamber 1', and thence be discharged out through the spout C. Now if the material is conducted into the feed-spout it will be discharged from its lower end onto the spreaderdisk and will be thrown outwardly in a thin stream and fall through the annular flue 1) onto the deflecting-flange J, then shoot across the bottom inlet of the return-flue or aspirating-chamber o, and thence over the deflectingflange 0 through an open space into the receptacle P. The feed-spout K and the dischargespout of the receptacle P being blocked up by the material it will be seen that the fan will establish an endless current within the casing-tie, the air discharged from the fan will pass in a downward direction (in a spiral course) through the separating-chamber g, thence into the leg 2', thence upwardly and inwardly through the opening m, thence downwardly and upwardly around the deflectingfiange 0 into the return-flue o, and back into the fan-casing through the flue o and port 0 The air-current on its way will thus have to pass through the material during the entire course the material takes in passing out from under the partition H until it strikes the Wall of the receptacle P in falling oif from the defleeting-flange 0 The direction of the aircurrent being in opposite direction to that of the falling grain and it being also comparatively concentrated and compelled to pass through the material, it will seize upon all dust and other fine particles which it can. carry and deliver them into the fan-ease to be discharged with the air from the fan and thence be freed therefrom, as before described, in the chambers g and z and continue to circulate.

As the feed-spout is in the eye of the fan, the revolving fan-shaft assists the feed, so that the spout may be kept filled with the material without danger of clogging, and the material thus cuts 01f the access of air into the suction of the fan, and as a result the device is absolutely self-contained and d listless.

There are separate regulating devices for the outgoing current of air and for the return current as well. The former consists of the segmental peripheral wing-valves around the fan-wheel, which may be opened out or shut down to regulate the force and quantity of the air-current. The regulation of the return current is obtained by the vertical adjustment of the receptacle P, which determines the size of the opening at m, and consequently the force with which the air current passes through the opening m and acts upon the material. By means of these devices the aireurrent is under perfect control and its work can be regulated within wide limits without altering the speed of the fan-wheel.

My construction utilizes the interior space to the greatest advantage to obtain a large capacity in a compact space. The fan-wheel can be made of great capacity, as the Whole top of the casing is utilized for the fan, while at the same time the air-current is uniformly discharged all around and leaves no corners or dead-spaces for dust to accumulate. The air-fines are capacious, as both the outgoing and return current circulate through annular chambers of large radius by being contiguous to the outer casing, and their course is relatively direct from the fan-wheel and back again, while the material is urged onward with accelerating speed and correspondingly until it is separated and carried into the path of the air-current.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a separator, the combination of an outer casing closed on top, a horizontal partition dividing said easing into a fan-chamber, above, and a separating-chamber below, a receiving-hopper leading to the separatingchamber, a horizontally-revolving fan in said fan-chamber, a series of wing-valves surrounding the fan and forming between the valves and the outer casing an annular windchamber, said horizontal partition having an annular port below the wind-chamber and an annular port below the fan-chamber whereby communication is established respectively between the annular Wind-chamber and separating-chamber and between the separatingchamber and the fan-chamber in rear of the fan-blades, and a circular partition 0 in the separatingchamber between said annular ports.

2. In a separator, the combination of the outer casing closed on top, the fan in the top of said casing, the series of wingwalves surrounding the fan pivotally secured at one end and adjustably secured at the opposite end, the wind-chamber formed betwcen the wingvalves and the outer casing, the horizontal partition M below the fan having the annular ports f and 0 and the downwardly-extending partition between said ports dividing the space below the horizontal partition into the separating-chamber g and aspiratingchamber 0 0 connecting said ports.

3. In a separator, the combination of an outer casing closed on top, a horizontally-revolving fan in the top of said casing, a circular series of segmental valves surrounding said fan and dividing the easing into a fanchamber and an annular discharge-ehamber surrounding the fan-chamber, a horizontal partition in the casing below the fan, a separating-chamber below the wind-chamber and communicating therewith, an aspiratingchamber below the fan-chan1ber and communicating therewith, an inner casing dividing the separating and aspirating chambers eoncentrically with the outer casing, and a receiver vertically adj ustably supported in position below said inner casing and controlling the communications between the separating and aspirating chambers.

4. In a separator, the combination of an outer casing closed on top, a horizontally-revolving fan in the top of said casing, a series of segmental circular valves surrounding said fan and provided with adjusting devices, a wind-chamber between said valves and the outer casin g, a horizontal partition below the fan, an inner casing below said partition concentric within the outer casing and forming therewith an annular separating-chamber communicating with the wind-chamber, an annular aspirating-ehamber within said inner casing and communicating with the fan, a receiver below said inner casing, an opening between said receiver and easing through which the separating and aspirating chambers communicate, inclined deflecting-flanges projecting inwardly and outwardly over said opening.

5'. In a separator and purifier, the combination of an outer casing comprising a cylindrical upper portion closed on top and a conical, lower portion terminating in a dischargespout, a fan in the top of the casing, an annular wind-chamber surrounding the fan and communicating therewith through a series of adjustable wind-valves, an inner casing below the fan concentric within the outer casing and forming between it and the outer casing an annular separating-chamber below the wind-chamber and communicating therewith, an aspirating-chamber within said inner casing and communicating with the fan and with the lower end of the separating-chamber, feed devices for discharging the material through the aspirating-chamber, a conical receiver vertically, adj ustably supported below the inner casing and forming an adjustable opening therewith connecting the separating and aspirating chambers, a lower separatingchamber formed between said receiver and the lower part of the outer casing and an. illclined deflectingflange between the two separating-chambers and extending below the opening into the aspirating-chaniber.

, In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM II. LIKINS,

Witnesses:

ERNEST G. KNIGHT, CHAS. II. SMITH. 

